By Steve Adubato, PhD
Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States for many reasons; among them are his exceptional communication skills. Obama will become the country’s “communicator-in-chief” in just a couple of months in large part because of the way he presented himself in a variety of challenging and stressful communication situations.
Obama connected with millions of Americans on a human and personal level. Persuading customers (or voters) is about more than having logical or sound ideas. Facts, data and details alone won’t motivate and move people. It won’t inspire them. Obama understood this and worked hard to improve his communication style. I’m not just talking about his public presentations, but his willingness to listen in an empathetic fashion, like the way he did with “Joe the Plumber,” who was clearly no Obama fan. One important job of a leader—especially in the world of business—is to listen to those who disagree with you and do it in a respectful fashion. This is easier said than done.
Other candidates for president, as well as top business executives, think they must have all the answers. That’s not what most people are looking for. People are looking for someone they can relate to, who gives them a sense that they are engaged and interested. They are looking for confidence, but not arrogance. Great communication and leadership is also about being unflappable, which on most occasions, Barack Obama was.
Further, Obama’s communication skills also centered on how he came across when he was actually talking or responding to difficult questions. He understood the importance of being deliberate and thoughtful—not shooting from the hip or the lip. Obama never lost his cool, while other professionals under pressure sometimes crack. His speeches may have been passionate, yet it was his largely conversational and relaxed communication style that also offered many lessons for professionals in many fields.
No matter what he may have been feeling or thinking, no matter how frustrated he might have been, Obama never let you see it. He didn’t come across as defensive or nervous. We like that confidence in our leaders, even if we don’t agree with everything they say. Of course we want our leaders to communicate with emotion and passion. We want them to reveal a piece of themselves. But at the same time we don’t want our leaders to show their emotions and feelings on their sleeves without monitoring them.
Great communication is also about being under control. Too many professionals blurt out the first thing that comes to their heads. That is undisciplined and dangerous communication. Barack Obama utilized a valuable communication technique by pausing every time he was asked a challenging question. He would take a breath, appear to be thinking or pondering the question as well as his options, and only then respond. All this would take just a few seconds. By doing this he was more deliberate and under control. He was less likely to make a communication faux pa that he would have to apologize for later. That pausing seems so simple, yet remains a powerful and underutilized tool for those who must communicate under pressure.
Whether or not you voted for Barack Obama, he continues to offer valuable communication lessons to any professional who must persuade, motivate and inspire others.